As the 3rd most popular social media site (Facebook being #1 and You Tube being #2), you may have noticed an increase in sharing your Super 8 film on instagram.
One new challenge Instagram has created for us and many clients is the Framing. Our normal specifications are designed around framing things 4x3 or 16x9, with options for Matting and Overscan, but instagram uses 9x16 , 5x4 and 4x4, which leaves many clients wondering…what is the best framing choice for Instagram?
Currently from Pro8mm, if you select Full Format Overscan in a 4X3 format you can crop the image using your post production software to the most common Instagram standard 4X4. Even a simple tool like iMovie supports a cropping tool to accomplish this. But given the popularity of this new platform we are adding a new framing Spec, 4X4. With this digital frame you can directly export a project to both Instagram and Facebook in the 4X4 format.
4x4 is the best compromise when producing motion images from traditional film that are designed to be watched on a mobile phone. Although mobile phones can be turned on its side to watch traditional 16x9 production, most people prefer to use a mobile phone in its upright position. When you upload in 4x4 you can be sure your framing will be maintained, where uploading in traditional 4x3 and 16x9 you are at the mercy of how the platform decides to present your projects. This can include their version of cropping the image and matting.
Another aspect of Instagram is that its was designed for a phone based workflow. You can enhance this experience by using Pro8mm Global Access. With Global Access or maybe we should call it Mobile Access your files are sent to you over the internet via Dropbox. With your Dropbox account you now have cloud storage of your images, access for editing and sharing with one another. You can even do some basic editing including adding sound, reframing and other FX in your phone. Because this all works in smaller space it is better to use the MP4 codec for faster, cheaper and easier movement of your files. Because you will have your images safe on Dropbox and your Phone we feel your physical film can be mailed back to you using the postal system. Don’t forget to tag @pro8mm so we can share it on our page!